The Banks County High School Leopard basketball teams are ready to roar down the courts in the new season competing in 7-AAA. The new region assignment will bring new challenges for the teams and some stiff competition to the Leopard den.
"Our region will be very tough this year for the Lady Leopards,” head coach Kerry King said. “Buford, the state runner-up, has the second ranked player in the country. Fannin brings back almost their entire team. North Hall has a group that plays travel ball almost 12 months out of the year. Dawson County will be very good this year and White County has a great deal of players returning."
The Lady Leopards graduated five seniors from the squad, all of which got most of the playing time during last years season. The team is very young this year and they will need some young players to get some time in early so BCHS can have an impact late in the season.
"We have only one senior, McKenna Rylee, who is returning after not playing last year,” King said. “Our two returning starters are Taylor Kennedy, a junior and Kaitlyn Duncan, a sophomore.”
The Lady Leopards took a loss Thursday night in the season scrimmage game with Elbert County 44-51. The Leopards were down by seven at the end of the first quarter. Kaitlyn Duncan, Taylor Kennedy and Lauren Carter put points on the board for the Lady Leopards.
BCHS started a comeback in the second quarter with McKenna Rylee and Casey Turner hitting three point plays. Taylor Kennedy scored from the free throw line and Savannah Blalock adding four points to the board.
The Lady Leopards held a narrow lead in scoring for the third quarter but trailed by one point in the game overall. Turner, Kennedy, Rylee, Duncan and Haley Warner added points to the board in the third quarter.
The Blue Devils took charge in the fourth and pulled away by six to win the game. Turner hit her third three point play for the game in the fourth quarter. Kennedy, Rylee, Duncan and Warner contributed points in the fourth quarter.
The Lady Leopards were back in action on the road against Commerce on November 19 and will be at East Jackson on November 30. The home opener will be on December 1st against Habersham Central High School.
VARSITY BOYS TEAM
The Leopards have a very inexperienced team this year. The only returning experienced player is Senior Greg Cannon. BCHS will look to him for leadership and lean on his varsity experience.
"Our guys work hard,” head coach Mike Cleveland said. “This might be the best group of kids that I have ever worked with. The negative is we are so inexperienced and young. But, this is also a positive. We will play guys this year that we will have for two, three, or four years at the varsity level. The work ethic, attitude, and desire are there everyday with this group."
The 7-AAA region is one of the toughest in the state. Buford, Dawson County, East Hall, and North Hall are all very talented and well coached.
"These four will be top 10 teams in the 7-AAA state in my opinion,” Cleveland said. “West Hall has two dynamic players. White County is an experienced, hard working group that has size. Fannin got better last year and return a majority of their team. There will be no easy wins in this region. It will be a battle every night."
The coach states: the varsity boys team will be: #2 Zezmon Steeple (with experience and strength, he is going to be an outstanding point guard) Freshman, #3 Graham White (shooter, back up point guard) Junior, #5 Will Ledford (all around player, scorer, smart, athletic) Sophomore, #13 Greg Cannon (point guard, athletic) Senior, #15 Bobby Morgan (good shooter/post) Senior, #20 Tracie Bagley (very versatile) Sophomore, #21 Gatlin Boswell (great effort, defense, smart) Junior, #23 Zac Orr (good size-6'6", 190, really good instincts for a freshman, unlimited potential) Freshman, #24 Jordan Barnett (shooter) Sophomore, #25 Ryan Seabolt (athletic, loves contact) Senior, #33 Montana Kennedy (smart, hard worker) Senior, #34 Isaiah Smith (shooter, getting better and better) Junior and #35 Austin Venable (good size-6'7", 230, has improved a lot since last season) Sophomore.
The varsity boys took a loss from Elbert County in the season scrimmage game Thursday night 65-90. BCHS fell behind by 11 points in the first quarter and another 11 points in the second quarter to the Blue Devils.
The Leopards mounted a comeback effort in the third quarter gaining seven points back on the Devils but it was not enough to put them in position to take over the fourth quarter. The Blue Devils outscored the Leopards 28-18 in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
The Leopards faced Commerce on November 19 at Commerce High School.
